Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Last Friday was the last day of my steady, dependable, 9 - 5 (technically 7:30 - 4) job. I won't get into all the reasons for leaving the position here, I know many people might think I was nuts to leave a decent-paying job with plenty of security and good health insurance. Rest assured when I tell you that I have my reasons and that they are excellent. I didn't leave the job to be a full-time writer, although that will be the end result.

Change is frightening and can feel like you are not just stepping off a cliff but soaring off of it, taking a dive with arms held out over the head, and hoping like crazy there is a nice deep pool at the bottom, or at the very least a very large trampoline to break your fall. I am hoping that writing will be that deep pool. I've done my research, gathered my resources and built my network. The ducks are in a row, as the cliche goes, and now it's time to put my plans into action.

I recently applied for a writing job and was extremely pleased with the portfolio I have managed to accumulate in a mere six months. I have a solid set of articles written in my own name that are ready to be linked to at a moment's notice, over 200 articles in my ghostwriting tool set, including a growing complement of direct clients ( one of whom is perfectly willing to let me link for sample work), credited editor on two websites, two blogs, a website, a member of several sites that always have work available, and recently named Video Games columnist for Comics Bulletin.

So what's next? Next week I am planning to get my business license and business cards and begin a more direct approach -- actively seeking personal clients. I am going to contact small business owners with an explanation of how SEO content on their website can increase their traffic and sales and try to convince them that they should hire me.